(AN: This was written right after the episode, 'Deadlocked, Sannin Showdown', without any further knowledge of what happens in the show afterward. This is a seriously far out there ATL/AU. Rated M for safety due to descriptions of nudity and physical intamacy.)

EVEN HOKAGE'S HAVE HEROES

Lady Tsunade, the 5th Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, sat in her office, finishing up several documents that she was so glad were the last she would have to deal with... at least for the day anyway.

She sighed. She could hardly believe how bored she had already become in this new responsibility. But she knew she would get over it. It was just the change in lifestyle that she had to adjust to. It had only been a few short weeks since she had come back to the village to take her place as Hokage, returning to the village alongside her old teammate Jiraiya, her assistant and medical student Shizune, and... Naruto.

When she finally put down the pen on her paper work, Tsunade leaned back to stretch in her chair as a large genuine smile came to her. She had been smiling more in the last month than she could remember doing in years. And she was well aware that it was always thoughts of Naruto that brought those wonderful smiles to her face. After all, why not? Considering what that stubborn, hot-headed, prideful, spiky blond haired boy had done for her, Tsunade could feel, in her heart, that she would forever be grateful to him, owing him more than she could ever repay. After all, it was her heart he had given back to her. Her will to live. The reminder of the responsibility she had as heir of the Hokage. And most importantly of all, the realization that she owed it to her self to honor the dreams of those she had lost long ago.

"To be Hokage. That is their dream." Tsunade whispered. But it wasn't just a title or recognition they sought. It was the ideals, the principles of that title that they truly believed in. To protect the village. To care for the well-being of those that lived there. The conviction and determination to do so, no matter what hardships may occur. To live their lives for the people of the village. She had lost sight of those principles when she had been so devastated by grief, which was so ironic, that in her self-pity, thinking that she loved them so much, yet never realized that she betrayed their memory by not honoring the beliefs that they had died for.

She got up and took the traditional Hokage hat from the peg on the wall as she headed out of the office. It wasn't all that much her style, but she knew that seeing it was important to the people, and strangely also, to Naruto.

'You must've had one hell of an impression on him, Saratobi Sensei. For him to defend your honor like he did, without hesitation, without fear, and, unfortunately, without much thought.' Tsunade thought, thinking of her old teacher as she smiled even wider at the memory of Naruto's furious outburst in that restaurant when she had disrespected 'the old man', as Naruto called him. 'The old man, pervy sage, granny Tsunade. You sure have a funny way of showing affection Naruto...' She stopped suddenly in her tracks, taking a breath to compose herself when she noticed in her reflection in a mirror that her cheeks were slightly red. 'I've only known him for barely two and a half months, and I can't go more than about an hour without thinking about him.' She started off again, trying to make sense of her feelings. She had already settled into a pattern of thinking about this matter when she had her own free time, making sure that when she was working as Hokage, she was working. 'He takes his nindo so seriously, it's almost scary. He won't back down from a fight, no matter how outrageous the circumstances are. He'll never lose. Even if he dies, if he dies without giving up, his enemies will never defeat him. He sure showed me that. The Rasengan... I truly thought it was impossible for him. That he was all mouth. But he just wouldn't give up. He took what he had gotten so far, and knuckled down and finished it... in one week.' Tsunade took a deep breath, feeling a great sense of pride in Naruto's accomplishment, even though there wasn't any real reason for her to. It wasn't as if she had tried to teach him, or even help him. She had just challenged him. And he had turned around and all but shoved her words back down her throat. And that also brought to her mind the possible scenario of what might have happened if Orochimaru hadn't been around to cause trouble. She fought the hot shudder that rippled through her at that thought. If she had met Naruto again at the end of the week, expecting him to have failed in his attempt, only to be frozen in place at the astonishment of his success, her motionless body allowing him to smash the Rasengan squarely into her gut...

Tsunade actually stumbled slightly as the images played out in her head. She couldn't deny the deep warm thrill that filled her as she thought about his actions. In the fight with Orochimaru and his servant, Kabuto. Naruto didn't care that they were more skilled, or more dangerous. He didn't give up when Kabuto had beaten on him. He had even actually forced his way out of the mouth of the Yamata-Dragon-Snake that had tried to eat him.

'Eat him a second time, actually.' Tsunade shook her head as she remembered Naruto's seemingly unbelievable statement at the time. But somehow, she knew he meant it. 'I have to remember to ask him about that one of these days.' She suddenly realized she had already exited the Hokage tower, and was walking down a street. She stopped briefly, considering her location, and turned in a new direction, heading for the memorial courts. 'Naruto... You even protected me. I was a trembling wreck, and you jumped in-between me and Kabuto, simply because you are driven to act. I, one of the so-called legendary sannin, helpless in my own fear, and you, my sweet genien, stood and willingly took the blows meant for me. It took you nearly loosing your own heart to re-awaken mine. In that moment, when you reached up for the pendant, I knew you were everything I could ever hope for in this world.' Tsunade placed a hand over her chest, where her pendant once hung. No sense of loss, no feeling of regret. He had earned it, in ways he didn't even realize.

After a few minutes of walking, Tsunade entered the memorial court grounds. She was going to visit the one for her old teacher, the Third Hokage, Saratobi Sensei. She had already visited it twice since she had returned to the village, the first time was right after she had arrived and had taken the Hokage's office. The second was about two weeks ago, but she felt like she needed to go again. And in fact, when she had gone that second time, she had found Naruto there as well. He seemed to really miss the old man. But there was something very important that had happened then as well...

(FLASHBACK)

"Oh! Hello Naruto!" Tsunade smiled as she walked up to Naruto, who was sitting in front of the remembrance stone for Saratobi Sensei. He looked up in surprise.

"Wh-.. Oh, hi Granny Tsunade." He said in a startled voice. Tsunade's eyebrow twitched as she tried to ignore the 'granny' crack, after all, it was just his way.

"I didn't disturb you did I? You seem to have been in deep thought." She said quietly as she sat down next to him.

"Just thinking about the old man. I don't come here as often as I probably should. But I guess it can't really be helped, if I'm going on missions and everything. I just want to make sure I don't forget the few things I learned from him while I had the chance." Naruto said in the most solemn voice Tsunade had ever heard him use. After a few moments, Naruto glanced over and saw that she was staring at him. "Oh, uh, I guess you'd probably like to be alone here..." Naruto moved to get up, but she gently took his arm to stop him.

"No Naruto, it's ok, you don't have to leave. I was just wondering... Your dream is to become Hokage, but I'm curious. WHY do you want to be Hokage?" Tsunade asked as he sat down again, and blinked in surprise when Naruto instantly drew himself up straight and strong.

"When I become Hokage, I'll work to defend and protect the Village Hidden in the Leaves! I'll ensure the continuation of our traditions, and the safety of our lands! And when I become Hokage-" Naruto's face became so determined that Tsunade gave a tiny gasp, "The people of the village will finally respect me!" Naruto stayed ridged for a moment, as Tsunade could see something in his eyes, a flicker of an indomitable spirit that sent a hot wave racing through her. But his words confused her slightly.

"Will respect you? I don't understand, why wouldn't they respect you now?" She asked as she fought down the blush of her skin. Naruto blinked, like coming out of a trance as he slowly sank back to slump in his seat.

"It's... just the way it is. I used to be a pretty bad prankster before I became a ninja. I guess they just don't feel like forgetting some of the things I did." Naruto muttered, but with his face turned away, Tsunade knew instantly that he wasn't telling the whole truth. And when she saw his hand unconsciously rubbing on his stomach ever so slightly, she went ridged with a surge of righteousness.

'Pranks my foot! They're scared of him because he holds the spirit of the nine-tailed-fox inside him, those ungrateful-! They would blame him for something that he had no choice or control over?' Tsunade raged on the inside, but outside, she forced herself to relax and remain calm. "Oh really? A prankster, hmm? Well, they must not be very observant people if they can't see the honorable man you've become since then. If they're really so immature as to hold that kind of grudge, then that's their problem. I've seen the kind of man you are Naruto, and I've seen the way you live. Loudly, stubbornly, but HONESTLY to a fault. But that is one kind of fault that I respect." She smiled at Naruto, but blinked as he suddenly went wide eyed as he slowly looked over at her.

"Wh... What... did you... say?" He asked in a small, disbelieving voice. Tsunade caught her breath as she saw fear in his eyes. A sudden, and very unexpected... vulnerability. She looked him over, a normally irrepressible bundle of hyperactivity, but she realized it was just a means to keep himself protected. She leaned in close to him, her face only a foot away from his.

"I said, I respect you Naruto. I have since the fight with Orochimaru and Kabuto. I would have thought you'd have figured that out, silly." She smiled warmly at him. His eyes were locked on hers, his face slightly unsure as he tensed up.

"You're not just saying that... are you?" He asked slowly, but then his face turned vicious. "Because if you're just giving me the pity route, you can save it! I don't need any kind of-- Hey, what are you doing?" Naruto gasped as Tsunade reached out and cupped the back of his head, and pulled him forward as she leaned up, and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. Naruto immediately fell silent, and when she pulled away his cheeks were red, and he had a slightly guilty look on his face.

"I mean it Naruto. I, respect, you. On my honor as descendant of the first Hokage." Tsunade said. She let go of him and sat back to let him react. He sat still for a minute, looking at her, his eyes a bit brighter than they were a moment before.

"Oh." He said sheepishly. "Sorry about snapping at you." He said. A few moments passed as they looked at each other.

"So, Naruto. I suspect you have plenty of training planned for yourself today, right? Or do you intend to sit here looking at me all day?" Tsunade asked with a teasing smile. 'Not that I would mind that at all.' She thought wistfully. Naruto leapt to his feet.

"Right! I always push myself to the limit! And I'll become one of the greatest ninja ever! Believe it!" He declared to the quiet scenery and turned to leave, only to pause. He turned back to look at a curious Tsunade. "Hey, um... Lady Hokage? ... Thanks." He smiled at her before running off. So he didn't see her wide eyed shock as she blushed harder than ever.

'Lady Hokage?... Wow. For him to say it like that... I like it. A LOT.' Tsunade sat with a glow to her as she paid her respects to her deceased teacher.

(END FLASHBACK)

'Respect, honor, courage, loyalty... Those are what matters to him.' Tsunade told herself. After that meeting, the couple times they had crossed paths in the past two weeks, every time, he had called her Lady Hokage. No wise cracks, no snippy sarcastic jibes. 'He even looks at me differently now. Every time he looks at me, it's so hard to resist the urge to rush over and embrace him. No one could understand how I've fallen in love with him so easily. But, after all, what is love, but the truth of knowing who a person is, and admiring every part about them? Forgive me Naruto, but you're not exactly what I'd call complex. I've already seen the kind of man you are, and you're wonderful' She was almost skipping along with her happy thoughts.

As she approached the area for the memorial of the Third Hokage, she gasped, as who of all people was already there-

"Naruto!" She called in delight, causing the genien to look in her direction... and Tsunade stopped dead in her tracks. Something was very wrong. Naruto was tense, standing almost lifeless in front of the remembrance stone, and he was actually trembling! His face was dull and downcast, with a look of regret in his eyes. "Naruto, what's wrong?" Tsunade immediately asked. Naruto slowly turned and walked towards her. He stopped right in front of her, but didn't look up.

"I guess I should've known I'd meet you here. I wasn't sure I wanted to talk to you just yet, but I guess this is the old man's way of telling me not to waste any time on this." Naruto said seriously. Before Tsunade could even say anything, Naruto suddenly held out a fist to her, her crystal necklace hanging from his grip.

"Naruto, I... I don't understand." Tsunade was now VERY worried, and didn't like the direction that things already seemed to be going.

"Take it back. I can't keep it anymore. I just don't feel right having this right now." Naruto finally looked up, with a solid, if slightly worried, look of determination.

"But you earned it fair and square. I wanted-, I mean, I do want you to have it. What in the world would make you think you had to give it back?" Tsunade asked, not making any move to take the necklace. Naruto's hand dipped slightly, as he swallowed nervously.

"A couple days ago, I was talking to the Pervy Sage about the fight with Orochimaru. He was telling me about how you and he fought against the snake face, and at one point, he made a remark about how you had taken several hits to protect me. Pretty nasty hits too, from what I was able to figure." Naruto explained. Tsunade's breath caught for a brief moment, but she tried to just shrug it off.

"Hey, I was returning the favor. You had taken hits for me first, remember?" She tried to smile, but... 'He's going somewhere with this, and I don't think I'm going to like where it winds up.' She kept her eyes on his, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Yeah, I had thought that at first, but then Pervy Sage made some kind of comment on your healing abilities. I didn't understand exactly what he said, but I could tell that he was saying something along the lines of you having to do something extreme to heal yourself from those hits you took for me. But then the perve got distracted by some girl walking by, so I couldn't ask him anything more about it. So later, I went to talk to Shizune-" Naruto was saying, and Tsunade's eyes widened in realization.

'No! Shizune, you wouldn't! You didn't!' She thought in rising panic.

"-But she was hesitant to talk about it." Naruto continued as Tsunade gently let out her tense breath, trying not to suffocate herself, but also trying not to show him how alarmed she was. "At first, she kept trying to dodge me, but I finally managed to corner her. She gave in and told me about the special technique you used to recover your injuries. The one where you used a bunch of chakra that you had been saving up inside yourself, and... the way it worked." Naruto said, with a momentary sad look on his face.

'Curse you Shizune! How dare you burden Naruto with such knowledge! Making him worry about something that he can't do anything about!' Tsunade was shocked and dismayed at the situation that she was now faced with. She knew she had to try to explain things and make him understand. "Naruto, it was my choice. I needed to do it to face Orochimaru. To protect you and Shizune. But I wasn't alone, Pervy Sa- I mean, Jiraiya, was fighting with me. The two of us worked together, so neither one of us would be in unnecessary danger." Tsunade gently took hold of Naruto's shoulders. "And it worked. We all got out intact, so I'd call the juitsu a success. It's not like I died." She smiled at him reassuringly.

"That's the problem." Naruto said. Tsunade's jaw dropped.

"What?" She gasped in horror as she took a sudden step back, unwilling to believe what he had just said. Naruto waved in panic at his wording.

"No-No! What I mean is, it's not like you died in combat under normal circumstances. That's just part of being a shinobi. We give our lives when necessary to defend our allies. But, you didn't give your life, you sacrificed it. If you had died, there wouldn't have been anything I could have done afterwards about that. But your still alive, having given up something so much more than I would have ever expected you to for any reason. Now I owe you an extraordinary debt. You gave up time for me, time cut out of your life. As far as I'm concerned, that is unacceptable! No one should have to endure a sacrifice like that! And with you being alive, having done it for my sake, I'm honor-bound to repay that debt to you!" Naruto declared with conviction, thrusting the necklace forward. "And this is a debt far more important and valuable than a thousand of these crystals! I can't keep this as long as that debt remains unpaid! A debt that completely overshadows something that I'm no longer even convinced I ever really earned in the first place!" He grabbed Tsunade's hand, forcing the necklace into it before stepping back again.

Tsunade stood motionless, staring down at the crystal in her hand, on the verge of tears at what Naruto had just done. 'H-how... How can he possibly think... that he has to repay something like that? How c-can he... take responsibility... for s-something... th-that's... impossible... to give back?' She looked at him, his truthful intentions clear in his handsome face, and it was breaking her heart. "Naruto... you have no idea what your talking about. Not all debts can be repaid. That you would even want to try, makes me... makes me... ... I'm so sorry Naruto. Shizune should never have told you about this. I don't know what I can do to convince you that this isn't necessary. All I can say is that it's best if you just forget the whole thing. What I did can't be undone, and there isn't any way you could give me back the life I've lost. It's impossible." Tsunade struggled not let her voice crack.

"I don't think so!" Naruto said defiantly, making her gasp in surprise. "There's no way I'm going to give up on something this important without trying! You see, I DO have an idea about how you might be able to get your life back, so I'm not going to let you give up either! You've just got to hear me out!" Naruto was almost jumping up and down in his frustration. Why did it seem that everyone he meets always gives up so quickly?

"Naruto, I've told you I admire your optimism, but this is something I know quite a bit more about than you. I'm a medical shinobi. I've spent years studying and developing all sorts of things that deal with healing the body, and there are countless others who have been doing the same for generations." Tsunade said, but her heart was pounding. 'Then again, every thing I've ever learned had to start as somebody's idea at one point. And Naruto has a rather different way of looking at things. He... couldn't really have thought of a way... could he?' She thought with rapidly growing wonder. "But then again, maybe the great Naruto Uzumaki can do what others can't. Alright. Sit down, and tell me this idea of yours." She finished out loud as she sat down, with Naruto immediately planting himself right in front of her.

"Alright! Now, I'm not a medical shinobi, so bear with me if my description might seem a bit overly simple, alright? OK, when I talked with Shizune, she told me that what you used to heal yourself had to due with using chakra to make the cells of your body multiply faster than they normally do, and that cells can only multiply so many times in a person's life time. When you made yours work extra hard, they ran through an amount of those multiplications quicker than they would have normally, and that's why you lost time off your life, right? Because your body will exhaust itself sooner?" Naruto asked seriously.

"That's right." Tsunade nodded, impressed that he had managed to get it straight without being medically trained.

"Well then, if your body is wearing out because the cells you have are overworked, why not let other cells give them help?" Naruto asked excitedly. Tsunade couldn't help but tilt her head with a raised eyebrow, and said something she really didn't like saying.

"Huh?" She blurted, but then shook her head to compose herself. "I mean, what? What do you mean 'other cells'?" She asked, genuinely curious.

"You know! Allow younger, stronger cells to reinforce the cells you have! You use a transfusion of someone else's blood cells and allow them to do some of the work of making your body healthy. But because they have more energy, they could make your body stronger than your older cells could, and while the assistant cells are making your body stronger, it allows your body to make it's own new cells, only it's making these cells as it would at the strength your body currently has due to... to... Argh! Hang on a second! I've got to explain this right!" Naruto beat on his head in frustration, while Tsunade was trying to follow what he was saying.

"Naruto, transfusions are performed all the time. Why is it then, that we don't see older people just suddenly getting healthier after receiving one?" Tsunade asked as she thought Naruto had simply misunderstood some medical knowledge.

"A-Ha! I knew you'd ask that!" Naruto slapped his knee, as if having achieved some victory. "I looked up the theory of transfusions! They are intended only as a kind of space-filler. When a person has lost a lot of their own blood, they are given a one-shot, short-term amount of blood to fill in that space, but only to allow that person's body the chance to make more of its own blood, and as that happens, their own blood displaces and ultimately breaks down the temporary blood. So that temporary blood doesn't have enough of a chance to do as much as it might be able to! What I'm talking about is using a transfusion over a longer period of time to allow a younger person's cells the chance to actually make circulations in a older person as if it were that older person's own blood. As the younger blood makes the older person's body stronger, the body can then make it's own cells stronger on it's own! It's not cellular regeneration, it's cellular reinforcement! It's like getting a rested, strong man to hold up a log that another man has been holding up for a long time. That first man is tired, and would have dropped the log soon, but when the second man takes it, it allows the first man to rest and recover, then after a while, takes back the log from the second man, and now the log will be held up for a longer time than if the first man had only tried to keep holding it alone! ... ... Jeez, why couldn't I have though of that example earlier?" Naruto quirked his head in annoyance at himself.

Tsunade was widened eyed in shock as she struggled to keep up with Naruto's description. 'Oh my god! I... I think I understand! What he's saying... Oh GOD! He might be right! He might actually be RIGHT!' She gasped as her whole body was tingling with excitement.

"From the things I've heard," Naruto continued, thinking that Tsunade's silence meant she still didn't understand, "All the current kinds of healing focus on getting a person to heal themselves. Medicines and operations and stimulants that make the person's body accelerate it's own healing. But that just makes the problem worse! You need to let the body completely rest, and let someone else's body do the healing for a little while! I mean, come on! Is co-operation really so hard an idea for people to understand?" Naruto rolled his eyes. "So, that's the basic of it! What do you think?" He asked hopefully.

'It could work... It would have to be a blood type match... and it would be a gradual process, say, multiple treatments over the course of months... and maybe a meditative chakra aura to help the donors cells do their work without being overtaken by the patient's cells, but... oh merciful spirits! IT COULD WORK!' Tsunade was almost dizzy at the implications. 'This could completely change the way medical treatments are viewed! And most of all... The chance for people to live longer as a whole, the older generations being helped by the younger generations! How long could someone live with this kind of treatment?' Her mind raced through possibilities and questions and details to be undertaken to explore this incredible idea, not aware that her motionless silence was sending the wrong message to Naruto.

After several moments had passed, Naruto smashed his balled up fists into the ground in anger as his eyes seemed on the verge of misting up, thinking he had gotten something wrong.

"ALRIGHT! FINE! So it's a stupid idea! But I'm not going to give up! I will find a way to get your life back no matter what the-OOMMMPH!" Naruto was cut short as Tsunade suddenly tackled him, her mouth crushing over his as he fell back onto his back. He couldn't believe what was happening. His own Hokage was lying on top of him, holding his head as she tried to suck his lips off! After an insane moment, she pulled away, looking down at him with eyes of overwhelming hope, faith and adoration.

"Naruto! You're, a, GENIUS!" She cried. Before he could even respond, she jumped up and off him, but yanked him to his feet with her. "I have NEVER heard anything like this before! If it works, not only would you have given me a second chance at life, but also countless others! I need to look into this right away! This could be one of the most important ideas in medical history! Oh Naruto! You're incredible!" Tsunade gave him another kiss, on the cheek, before turning and rushing off, only to stagger to an abrupt stop as she realized she was still holding the crystal necklace. Gripping it protectively, she turned back to him. "Naruto..." She walked back over to him, his stunned expression a true delight to her. She moved close to him. So close, she could feel the heat of his breath on the exposed skin of her breasts. She slowly and gently reached around his neck and replaced the necklace on him. "You will keep this. And if you ever try to give it back again..." She smiled as she tapped a finger on his headband, "I'll knock you down onto your hyperactive butt." She then turned and bolted from the memorial court with the speed of a woman on a mission, leaving Naruto standing in a daze with cheeks red with astonishment.

"A simple thank-you would've been fine for me." He said to thin air.

---

For the next few days, Tsunade poured over countless records, files, and reports in the back rooms of the Central Medical Directorate building. And she was both astonished and aggravated at what she was finding, and not finding.

'Naruto was right.' She thought to herself as she flipped through pages, occasionally writing down notes from time to time in a book she was using to be the record for the impending 'Cellular Reinforcement' research and experiments. 'There are practically no types of medial procedures that work anything like what he was describing, letting one person be healed by someone else's body. The only thing that does is the basic procedure of organ replacement, but even that doesn't go into anywhere near the level of cellular monitoring that Naruto's idea would call for. Once the organ is determined to be a match, and implantation has been confirmed without rejection, there is nothing afterward. All anyone thinks is, it's in, it's working, so move on. But even a healthy organ placed into a less than healthy body basically is assimilated by that body, being completely surrounded and consumed by cells that aren't as strong as the new organ. It has no support, because it's supposed to be the support for the body.' Tsunade continued to make comparisons and take notes.

The next step was for her to make sure that Naruto's idea would not be considered a forbidden area of medical research. And she was so relieved to find that it wasn't. It couldn't, since no-one had ever thought of it before.

'The forbidden areas of body regeneration focus on pushing someone's own body to unnatural degrees to the point that it couldn't sustain itself on it's own anymore, or re-animating dead tissue.' Tsunade realized as she re-familiarized herself with current medical boundaries. 'But Naruto's idea is basically allowing nature a double helping hand on itself. Using nature's design of our bodies to our own advantage. No external devices or chemicals, and no otherworldly spirits. Just our own natural life force and chakra to help one another. No one could possibly argue or object to that!' She was gaining hope with every passing minute, with every discovery, and with every detail she narrowed down for the treatment. But she was still confused how something so simple could have been overlooked, considering how many people had searched for it over time. She didn't want to belittle Naruto's intelligence, but why hadn't anyone ever thought of it before? There had to be a reason...

She stopped suddenly, then back tracked over several scrolls for something that had caught her eye a moment before. A scroll that denoted a failed juitsu research. Although it didn't have anything to do with what she was looking for regarding Naruto's idea, at the bottom as the last report was written a notice.

Juitsu research abandoned due to impracticability of use in mission field operations. Tsunade read. She sat and thought about it for a while.

'Naruto's treatment idea will require at least several months to work. Not something you can do on a mission. Is that why? Because it's not a fast technique that can be used on the fly? This is a shinobi village after all, and to keep our ninja alive depends on the skills they can use in combat and on missions. Discoveries we make in the research of juitsu for our ninja that can be used for the civilian villagers is always good, but it would seem that almost no effort is put into developing techniques solely for home use as it were. Anyone will be able to use Naruto's treatment, they just have to be willing to take the time to do so.' Tsunade thought as she continued working.

Once all the various procedural details had been securely outlined in Tsunade's record book, that left one final matter to deal with. Finding a donor that had the same blood type as herself, who was young and healthy. That would be easy. Finding someone like that who would be willing to go through with this experiment? THAT would be the hard part. She was taking a lunch break at a very good noodle parlor as she was trying to figure out who she could trust not to tell anyone about what she was doing. But she couldn't do that until she had looked at the files for the blood types, and made a list of potential donors.

'I can't allow anyone to find out about Naruto's idea before it's completed. If someone found out, and managed to get it done first, and took the credit for themselves, it would devastate Naruto. It's a point of honor for him that his idea helps me get back my life, even though he doesn't realize that not only did I give it up to try to repay his actions, but I still owe him more than I've ever owed anyone else.' Tsunade was thinking to herself as she sucked up her noodles in her solitary booth. So lost in thought, that she didn't pay any attention to who was coming and going around her.

"Alright Kasumi! It's lunchtime and I'm starving! So keep the ramen coming and I'll tell you when to stop!" Came the instantly familiar voice. Tsunade nearly choked as she looked up and over to see Naruto sitting down at the main bar as the cook, Kasumi presumably, handed him his first bowl. Instantly all smiles, she picked up her still half-full bowl and weaved her way over to quickly beat another patron to the seat right next to Naruto.

"Hey there cutie" Tsunade breathed right into his ear, just as he was about to take his first bite, making him slosh his ramen onto himself. After jumping up and down like a monkey for a moment from the burning hot liquid, he whipped around.

"HEY! What's the big-... Oh! Lady Hokage!" Naruto stopped short as he blinked with surprise at his friend.

"Sorry Naruto, I couldn't resist." Tsunade giggled, handing him a few napkins. Once Naruto had wiped himself up a bit and sat back down, he started back on his ramen.

"So how are things, Lady Hokage? Have you been working on that idea I told you about?" Naruto asked between slurping up his meal.

"As a matter of fact, I have. And things are going very well. In fact, I think I'm ready to start the treatments. All I need is a donor for the blood that will help me." Tsunade said quietly, playing at casual, and hoping that no one would pay much attention to them.

"That's great! We can get going as soon as I'm done eating!" Naruto beamed as he started on his third bowl.

"We?" Tsunade asked curiously, as well as wondering how in the world he had gone through two, oh, no, wait, make that three bowls of ramen already.

"Yeah, you need me to come with you so we can get you treated, right? I've got to settle my debt to you!" Naruto said as he pushed aside a fourth empty bowl while the cook handed him a fifth. Tsunade looked at him in surprise, and after a moment to realize what he meant, she gave him a regretful look.

"Naruto, I know you want to do this, and honestly, I wish you could too, but I'm afraid it's not that simple. In order for this to work right, I have to have someone with the same blood type as me. You do know what I mean by blood type don't you?" She asked. Naruto looked at her with a mouth half full of ramen, and a suddenly confused look on his face.

"Well, yeah. Blood type has to do with very small differences of the stuff in peoples blood." Naruto said.

"That's right. And if the two blood types don't match, it can seriously hurt the person receiving the blood, in this case, me." Tsunade said as she finished her bowl, as Naruto started on his seventh.

"I don't want you to be hurt Lady Hokage, but how do you know that I don't have the same blood type as you?" Naruto asked, being confused and worried by the conversation. Tsunade thought for a moment before answering.

"Well, actually, I don't know for sure." She admitted. "But while my blood type isn't the rarest of types, it's not exactly common either. It would be a minor miracle if it turned out we matched. I was going to go look through the files after lunch." She said as she placed her bowl in the wash tray next to the bar.

"But... It has to be me that helps you. I'm the one that owes you. It's... it's a matter of honor!" Naruto was getting quite upset. Tsunade stopped him from reaching for his ninth bowl, and turned him so she could look directly at him. She gently laid her hands on his shoulders as she gave him a thankful smile.

"Naruto, you are helping me. This is your idea. Without you, this wouldn't be possible, and I probably never would have known that I could actually have a second chance at part of my life. It doesn't matter who's blood I wind up having to use. It will only be you that I will be thanking, in my heart." Tsunade was about to lean forward to kiss his cheek, but stopped from doing so when the cook came by to pick up all of Naruto's empty bowls. She let go of him and took a step back. "Don't worry Naruto, I promise to keep you informed as to how things go. I'll see you later." She placed some money on the bar to pay for her meal, as well as Naruto's, before walking out of the noodle shop in a slightly depressed state, leaving behind a slightly more depressed genien that couldn't even be comforted by his untouched ninth bowl of ramen.

A little while later, back in the rooms of the Medical Directorate, Tsunade sat at a table, carefully reading down a list of names that were on the scroll that was the record of people who had the same blood type as her. Every one that was listed as what she thought would be young enough to help her, she was writing on a scroll of her own.

'(sigh), I'm going to have to visit each of these people and interview them to see who will be able to be the donor for me.' She thought tiredly as she continued down the alphabetical list. 'And when I find someone capable and willing, it will then take months of treatments. Months that I'll be hold up, virtually in secret. Months that I'll have to avoid seeing anyone more than absolutely necessary. Months that Naruto... will be training... going on missions... There's no telling when I'd be able to see him, if I even would at all!' Tsunade stopped writing as she momentarily slouched at the very unpleasant thought. 'Maybe... I shouldn't bother. Maybe it wouldn't be worth it after all...' She flicked at the record scroll, as she skimmed down the many she still had to go through. Idlely, she glanced near the bottom, scanning the names, then...

---

Three days later, Naruto was out in the practice grounds, being overseen by his comrade Rock Lee in tai-juitsu training. Naruto was on the ground, on his back, doing sit-ups with bands of weights on his forearms, as well as a vest that had weights sewn into it. And Naruto was swearing, erm, I mean sweating, up a storm.

"Come on Naruto! If you can't do five hundred sit-ups, it'll be four hundred squats!" Lee cheered.

"This is (huff) insane! (huff) I can't believe (huff) that you (huff) do this (huff) every day!" Naruto gasped as he nevertheless continued his efforts at a steady pace. "Hey Lee! (huff) What number (huff) am I on? (huff)"

"I thought you were keeping count." Lee said in surprise. Naruto froze in the upright position.

"AW DANG IT!" He yelled, just before a PANG smacked against his headband, making him fall on his back. "What the heck was that!?" He looked to the side, to see a kuni knife sticking out of the tree whose roots had been serving as foot holds. A small rolled piece of paper dangled from the handle. Naruto took it down and unrolled it.

Naruto, meet me at our place of respect. LH Naruto read to himself. 'Respect? The only person...' He thought in surprise.

"What does it say Naruto?" Lee asked in serious concern. Naruto immediately tucked the note into his pocket.

"Oh! It's nothing. Just a personal message for me. Sorry Lee, but I've got to go. Say hi to Gai Sensei for me!" Naruto said as he ran off with a stagger of the heavy weight he was still carrying.

"Hmm. I wonder what that was about?" Lee asked himself.

Some time later, after dropping off his weighted training gear at his place, Naruto walked into the memorial courts. He made his way down the walk-path, until he came to the remembrance stone for the Third Hokage. But there was no one around. Confused, he pulled out the note from his pocket and read it again.

'It's addressed to me, it's signed LH, Lady Hokage, at least, I thought that's what it means. I don't think I even know anyone else with those initials...' Naruto thought about who might have sent the message. 'And of course, there isn't anyone else that respects me, so-' Naruto jumped six feet in the air with a yelp.

"For someone who wants to become the greatest ninja ever, you let your guard down at the most interesting times." Tsunade laughed as Naruto turned to her, red-faced, and rubbing his butt. He glared at her.

"I didn't think I had to keep my guard up with you! Isn't that what trusting someone is about?" Naruto snapped. Tsunade gasped.

"Naruto, wait, I didn't mean it like that!" She stuttered. Naruto sighed.

"Yeah, I know, I'm sorry. But you could have gotten my attention a different way." Naruto rubbed his butt again, making Tsunade smile. "But why'd you try to kill me with the kuni? If it hadn't hit my headband, well, so much for my dream of becoming Hokage..."

"I'm really sorry about that, but neither of us is really to blame. I tried to time my throw to the rhythm of your sit-ups. If you hadn't suddenly stopped while upright, the kuni would have just passed over your head to hit the tree." Tsunade explained.

"Well, ok. So what'd you want to see me about that's so important that you pulled me away from my training?" Naruto asked, resting his arms behind his head. Tsunade smiled. She reached over and took his hand, and in a blink, nicked his palm with a needle. "Hey! What was that for?" Naruto demanded, but fell silent again when Tsunade pricked her own palm. She placed her hand in his, intertwining her fingers with his, gripping tightly.

"Guess what I found out." She said quietly, with a smile and blushing cheeks. Naruto looked at her, and looked at their hands for a moment before realization crossed his face.

"Whoa! You mean-? We're really-?" He beamed excitedly.

"Mm-Hmm." Tsunade nodded, feeling like she was floating on cloud nine.

"So that means that I can repay my debt to you myself! Just the way it should be! ... Um, you can let go of my hand now." Naruto said awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck with his free hand. Tsunade sighed.

"Naruto, there's something you have to know. There is no debt. Not for you." She said, not letting go of his hand. "You don't owe me anything, and haven't since we met. I had hoped you'd realize this yourself, but... Naruto, I want you to know that you don't have any obligation to be the one to do this for me."

"What... what are you saying? You don't... You don't want me to do this?" Naruto asked, looking very confused, and perhaps, a bit hurt.

"Oh Naruto, I DO want you to, I'm just saying you don't HAVE to. This is something that will be a rather consuming endeavor. I know how important your ninja training is, but if you intend to see this through, I'm afraid you won't be able to go on missions for quite a while. I can try to teach you some things while the treatments progress, but they won't exactly be the most action-oriented lessons. It's up to you." Tsunade said seriously, slowly letting go of his hand.

Naruto looked at her for some time, and at his hand that was painted with the dot of their blood. He finally looked back at her.

"So, your saying, I don't really owe you? That I don't have to give up my training for this or anything?" He asked. Tsunade choked, and her head dipped down.

"That's right." She nearly sobbed. 'He's... he's going to say no... it was just a debt to him... and since it isn't, he's not bound to do anything about it.' She struggled to keep from collapsing to her knees, even as tears threatened to break free.

"But, if that's true, why do I still feel like I owe you? I mean, I still feel like I should do this. It's the right thing to do! Maybe it is a real debt, or maybe it's not! But it's still your life were talking about! What kind of ninja would I be to ignore something this important? I don't run out on my comrades! So I'll do it!" Naruto declared with a confident smirk and a clenched fist. Tsunade jerked upright, her wet eyes shining with unrestrained joy.

"Oh Naruto! Thank you!" She cried as she flung her arms around him, hugging him tightly as she placed her head next to his without even thinking. Naruto was quite surprised, and awkwardly patted her back as she trembled slightly in her emotional shock. It was actually a minute before she stilled, and pulled back. "Sorry about that." She said as she wiped at her eyes lightly. "But, it's just..."

"Hey, it's ok. I, uh... I understand what it's like to never be sure if people will help you or not." Naruto said with a blushing smile. "But don't think I'm doing this for nothing!" He grinned, to which she just blinked in confusion. "Hey, you said you'd try to teach me while we do this, right?" He pointed at her accusingly.

"Oh! Right! Don't worry, I'll make sure of it! In fact, I need to teach you a basic chakra aura meditation technique first. It's necessary for the treatments. And there is one more thing Naruto." She said with a slightly amused smirk. He tilted his head in question. "I'm not sure how you thought this was going to work, but in fact, it will require you to remain still and calm for very long periods of time, just sitting in one place. I'm trusting you to be able to handle that."

"Uh, when you say 'long periods of time', you're talking about, like, hours, right?" Naruto said nervously. Tsunade shook her head, a now nearly mirthful smile breaking past her lips.

"No, I mean days." She snickered.

"WHAT!? DAYS!?" Naruto blanched pale with a slack jaw.

"And weeks, then months." Tsunade was trying to restrain her giggling. 'Who else but Naruto would find the thought of sitting still alarming.'

"MONTHS!? Aw, man! My butt is going numb just thinking about it!" Naruto whined, not noticing when Tsunade licked her lips as her eyes briefly darted down to his backside.

"Don't worry Naruto. Once we get into it as a routine, you'll hardly notice it. And there'll be plenty of things to keep your attention occupied." She put an arm around his shoulder as she guided him out of the gardens. "Your lessons for one, of course. But we could just talk also."

"Talk? About what?" Naruto asked.

"Well, you know, tell each other stories. In fact, there's one I'm very curious to hear about. It involves you, and an evidently very hungry giant snake..." Tsunade stayed by his side as they exited the memorial courts.

---

ONE YEAR LATER

Lady Tsunade, the 5th Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, awoke bright and early on a day that was about as fine and clear as one could ever ask for. Clouds scattered across the sky like a white and blue checkerboard, the lightest of breezes that made the trees whisper their greetings to everyone, and the temperature just cool enough to tickle the skin with freshness. It was also a very important day. The day she would meet with the village's medical council to finally reveal the work that she and Naruto had worked on in secret for the past year. She allowed herself the indulgence of a luxurious bath, cleaning herself meticulously with very deliberate care. She would not tolerate anything going wrong this day. Finishing her bath, she got out and set about drying herself thoroughly. But before she even touched the formal Hokage robes she had set out, she stood in front of her giant full-wall mirror, and looked at herself.

The treatments had worked better that she could ever have thought possible. Her 52nd birthday was only a few weeks away, but looking at her reflection, even she would swear that the gorgeous naked woman looking back was about to turn 30 at the absolute most, and even that would be guessing a little on the high side. But it wasn't an illusion. Not anymore. From her long soft silky hair, to her flawless cream smooth skin, to her perfectly proportioned muscle tone, she was healthier than she could ever remember being. Stronger too. She carefully flexed and tensed one muscle after another, examining herself from every angle. Her calves, her thighs, her hips, her abs, her back, her biceps, her forearms, he hands, her neck, her face. Everything was absolutely perfect. Every softly firm curve of her. And speaking of curves...

Tsunade's fingers danced lightly over her sinfully tempting hips, up and across her massive pendulous breasts that, although it could have been her imagination, seemed even bigger than ever. Once, long ago when she was first training to be shinobi, she had been aggravated when she realized how exaggeratedly feminine her body was. She was always getting furiously angry at boys and men who would look at her like wolves. But then she had discovered the usefulness of the distraction her body could provide, even in heated combat. But then, when she had lost the two that she loved most... She had stopped caring whether she actually looked beautiful or not, because she saw the whole world as an ugly monster that devoured the loved as quickly as the hated. She didn't disguise herself out of vanity, and she certainly didn't do it to try to distract the bookies when she gambled. She only did it in an attempt to stop time. To hold herself at that moment of pain and loss, so as to never forget the worst time in her life.

But now, she didn't have any reason to hide. The pain was finally gone, her life was renewed, and she had someone that she loved for all the right reasons. Even in the past couple of weeks when she had to walk through the village for several important errands, she had noticed, with no small amount of smug pride, that men would turn into fumbling fools attempting to ogle her as she passed by. But the only man she wanted the attention of, was the one that still treated her with such innocent respect. Naruto. The only one she wanted to look at her. The only one she wanted to touch her...

Tsunade quickly turned away from the mirror as the inescapable heat rapidly spread through her body with an intensity that she couldn't afford to allow. She had to get ready for the council meeting, and had to meet Naruto there as well. As she dressed in her Hokage's robes, she mused at the problem with a young, strong body. Having the young, strong hormones that went with it. So strong in fact, that the last few treatments with Naruto had been torture, and if Shizune had not been there to attend them during the sessions, she was afraid she wouldn't have been able to control herself. She made sure her robes were all in proper place, then she arranged her hair in elegant style. She didn't use much make-up, only the smallest bit of eye shadow, but she did take out her special red-as-rose lipstick. After all, it wasn't only the council she was dressing to impress. With the Hokage hat placed squarely on her head, she took one last appraising look at herself in the mirror.

'The very image of duty and grace.' Tsunade thought proudly, though she noticed the outfit was extraordinarily snug in the chest. 'Nothing imaginary about them. I am bigger than ever. Hadn't even realized till now. Oh well. No harm about it.' She smiled at the unavoidably exposed cleavage as she turned to the sitting table, and, careful not to disturb the tea set that was laid out, picked up the thick book and three scrolls in a case that were placed there. The research records, or rather, her primary copy of them. The originals were locked tight in a secret hidden safe, and she wouldn't dare pull them out until the council had validated the work, and acknowledged Naruto's credit to it.

She left her home with a swift stride, records tucked in a carry bag over her shoulder, heading to the council building. Only this time as she walked through the village, she completely ignored the few people she passed in the crisp morning hours. When she arrived at the doors to the council building, Naruto was already there, dressed in the only set of formal robes he owned.

"Oh Naruto! You look so handsome!" She smiled, delighted that he had dressed as she had requested.

"Yeah, well, I feel a little silly. Lady Hokage, are you sure I should be here? I've got this bad feeling that I may hurt your presentation... although I don't know how anyone would be able to argue with you looking so... magnificent." Naruto blushed as he shrugged in his new calm casualness, the result of a year of meditation and discipline.

Tsunade's breath caught, and the only way to stop herself from drenching her panties with desire was by thinking of the horror that doing so would cause her to fail to convince the medical council of their work.

'It's too much! Even the smallest compliment from Naruto drives me crazy anymore! We will succeed in this! And afterwards...' She took a breath to calm herself. "Thank you for that Naruto. But don't doubt yourself for a moment. This is your achievement. So you will wait in an adjoining room while I build up our work to the council, and once I have them praising the genius and importance of this event, I will tell them. I will bring you in and declare your efforts. It's the only possible outcome. Alright, let's go. We have history to make. And Shizune should be upstairs already, having everything set up." She thought briefly why her assistant wasn't with Naruto to wait for her as she entered the council building with a reassured Naruto following behind his honorable Hokage.

They made their way up stairs and through halls, until Tsunade stopped in front of a door.

"Ok Naruto," She spoke quietly as she opened the door and entered, "You'll wait in here. The council is in the next room through that door." She pointed to a door that connected to the adjoining room. "Whatever you do, stay quiet, and don't come in until I bring you in, Ok?" She directed him to a seat next to a table that had several covered bowls set out on a tray, along with a tea pot. "Just in case you get hungry while you wait." She smiled. Naruto's nose twitched, as he lifted one lid.

"Yummy, ramen." He smiled, licking his lips. "I'm sure easy to cook for, aren't I?" He snickered. Tsunade just nodded, and left out of the same door she opened before, closing it again. She moved a little further down the hallway to the next door. Making sure the book and scrolls were still in her bag, she composed herself, and opened the door.

"Greetings, Lady Hokage!" The assembled people behind the set tables rose and bowed as Tsunade walked in. As she had thought, Shizune was there, having one additional table for her to use. She set her bag down, but didn't take out her research records just yet.

"Good morning Medical Council members." Tsunade replied as she did a lightning fast head count. Eleven in all. "Ah, good, I'm glad that everyone was able to be here today." She carefully took her seat as the others did the same.

"We didn't really have much option now, did we? For the past three weeks you've been hounding all of us, going to the trouble to make sure we'd all be free today to meet with you." The chief council, Famsuyo, laughed. "And I must admit, I'm very curious what this is about. We all are. So, my Lady Hokage, if you don't mind just jumping to business, the floor is yours."

"Thank you. Now, I know this will sound ridiculously arrogant, but I have asked you here, to discuss what I believe to be the greatest medical discovery in the history of the village." Tsunade said with her absolute most serious tone. Several eyebrows rose.

"Well, talk about a way to wake someone up. You have our complete attention." Famsuyo said.

"Alright. First, let me ask you a question." Tsunade took off the Hokage hat and set it aside. "How old do you think I look?" She asked. After a moment's silence, and a couple of awkward coughs from the men, Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Oh for the love of... Look guys, the rule about commenting on a woman's age is temporarily withdrawn for this meeting. Believe me, it is relevant. How old do I look?" She asked again with the same serious tone. After the men and women on the council glanced at each-other, the later shrugging to the former, Famsuyo cleared his throat.

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, your fifty-second birthday is in a few weeks." The head council remarked.

"Tsk, tsk!" Tsunade clicked her tongue, shaking her head and waving a finger. "You're not paying attention. I didn't ask you how old you think I AM, I asked how old you think I LOOK." Her comment made several of the council shift in their seats as they leaned forward a bit.

"Well, with your transformation juitsu, you look about thirty-ish." Famsuyo said cautiously.

"No no, I'd say closer to between twenty-five or twenty-eight at the absolute most. And I thought it was a genjuitsu illusion." Said a elderly woman council.

"Transformation? Illusion?" Tsunade asked with an all too innocent blink. "Why, I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't look any different than I did when I woke up this morning." She gave a deliberate exaggerated shrug, and was not surprised in the least, as all the men suddenly had trouble keeping their eyes in their sockets when her breasts bulged against the neckline of her robes. If she hadn't tied it as efficiently as she had, it would have popped open, right there in front of them.

"Y-y... Ahem, you know, the technique you use to make yourself look younger than you really are. Every one knows about it." Famsuyo said, composing himself.

"Council members," Tsunade smirked, "I sit before you, as myself. I am not using any technique or juitsu of any type at this moment. If you don't believe me, ask Hiashi Hyuga." She turned to the head of the Hyuga clan who had a questioning look. "You're byakugan can easily tell if I were using a juitsu. Go ahead and take a look." Hiashi gave one glance at Famsuyo, who nodded, then turned his attention back to the Hokage. His eyes focused, and he stared for several seconds.

"W-WHAT!? It... It can't be!" Hiashi gasped after a moment. The other council members twitched as they looked on. "She's not joking! I can't see anything except... her body! Her natural body! Her organs, her chakra network, her muscles, everything! She's as healthy as a twenty-six year old!" He blurted in disbelief. The others gasped and stuttered.

"What? How? My Hokage, what is going on? What is this?" Famsuyo asked in shock. Tsunade smiled as she opened her bag, and pulled out the book and three scrolls, laying them out neatly on the table.

"This, is why we are here. So I can tell you about the discovery, of the Cellular Reinforcement Treatment! The treatment that can grant an aging person new health and youth!" She declared, as the council gasped as one. "Oh yes, believe me, I know exactly how you're feeling right now. When I first realized the truth of this, I was plenty shocked myself. But don't let that shock go on too long, because I'm fairly certain that you'll want to pay attention for this." She tapped the thick book in front of her.

"Cellular what? Reinforcement? You mean regeneration, don't you?" Famsuyo asked.

"No, I don't. This is not regeneration theory. I know it may seem like it at first, but it is in fact almost the complete opposite. Cellular regeneration focuses on getting someone's body to repair itself. Cellular reinforcement is the idea that to allow one body to rest and recover from the exertion of living, you let another body function as the life-source for a period of time. It is done by means of a long-term series of blood transfusions over multiple months, or in my case, this past year." Tsunade explained.

"Ah, so that is why you've been so elusive for so long. And why you've been sending your paperwork by means of Shizune here." Another of the council pointed out in realization.

"Yes, but since now I've worked out the necessary details of the treatment, others should be able to undergo the process in slightly less time than it took me, having to keep track of the work as I did." Tsunade made a hand-sign. "Duplication Juitsu!" She said, and with puffs of smoke, duplicates of the record book and scrolls appeared in front of each of the council members, who eagerly opened them.

"Incredible." Famsuyo whispered as he rapidly flipped through the pages. "This is absolutely astounding! An actual method of regaining one's youth! But, wait a minute." He took a breath as he refocused. "My lady Hokage, forgive me, but many others have sought this for time unknown. And unfortunately, their searches and methods led to the creation of most of the forbidden areas of juitsu and medical experimentation. Not that I would question your intentions, especially since you took the risk of using this treatment on yourself first, but..." Famsuyo swallowed nervously, not happy with having to accuse his Hokage of ill-doing.

"Don't worry, I checked all the boundaries of forbidden research before I started work on this. There is nothing about this that could possibly raise any questions of morality or ethics. There are no side-effects that I have noticed... Well," Tsunade paused, and the council held it's breath, "Except for having to get used to the strong urges of having a young body again." She chuckled, causing the council to break out laughing in relief.

"Lady Hokage, you seemed to have accidentally overlooked a key point in your notes." A council man on the end spoke up as he was examining one of the scrolls. "I don't see any list of the medicines to be used during the transfusions. You only have the description of the meditative chakra aura that the blood donor uses." He said, pointing to a diagram.

"That's because there are no herbs or chemicals needed to be used during the process. The only important factors are, A: The donor must be young enough for the recipient to gain any significant benefit from the treatment. B: They must have the same blood type. C: The donor should obviously be free of disease and be in as good health as possible. And D: The donor must be able to maintain a supportive chakra aura over their blood as it circulates in the recipient, to prevent the recipient's body from breaking down the blood before it has a chance to help. There are no chemicals, no external influence, no otherworldly spirits involved. Just a little loophole in nature's design of our bodies that allows one to help another. And if nature says it's ok, who are we to argue?" Tsunade watched the council's reactions with satisfaction as they poured over her notes.

"Wonderful!" Said one. "Miraculous!" Said another.

"You mean I could actually live to see my grandchildren grow up? Oh my! This... This is a dream come true!" An elderly council woman began to sob as her companions comforted her.

"And of course, besides that wonderful personal benefit for our people, there is another, more tactical benefit to this. After all, if our most skilled, powerful and experienced ninja could keep on living, not only would the defense of our village be massively increased, but they could continue to be teachers to the new generations. Passing even greater knowledge and skill on to their own descendents." Tsunade pointed out, knowing that the medical council would undoubtedly be sure to share that information with the village's grand ruling council. Yet another glorious victory for Naruto's heart-given idea.

"The power of time." Famsuyo gasped in astonishment, even having to wipe his forehead with a cloth. "This is... This is..." He looked down at the records in front of him. He suddenly stood, the rest of the council following suit. "My Lady Hokage! You were not exaggerating in the slightest! Your idea truly could be the greatest discovery in the history of the village!" He and the others broke out into applause. Tsunade's mouth twitched as she rose to her feet.

'Perfect, that was exactly the opening I needed!' She thought as she waited for the council to settle, keeping as neutral a face as she could. Of course, once the council realized she wasn't reacting, they stopped their applause. "I'm afraid you've made a very serious mistake. As much as I helped to make this treatment a reality, it was not my idea originally." Tsunade said with deadly seriousness. "And without that idea, none of this would have been possible."

"Oh! My sincerest apologies my Hokage. I did not mean any disrespect to you or your college. I was just so caught up in the excitement." Famsuyo bowed in respect. "So, who is the genius that we owe our future to? Is it... Shizune!?" He gaped at the thought.

"Oh no! No, No! Not me! Although I'm honored you would think so highly of my skill, head council." Shizune nearly fainted at the sudden spotlight on her, but managed to catch herself and bow.

"No, it isn't Shizune. The person responsible is in the next room." Tsunade pointed to the door. "But, you see, he was a bit apprehensive about appearing before the council. He was concerned that he wouldn't be well received." She said carefully, crossing her arms under her massive bulging chest.

"Not well received? Why in the world would he think such a thing?" Famsuyo blinked in shocked confusion. "To be such a visionary as to create a... a... effective fountain of youth? He'll be a hero to this village for generations! And considering his achievement, that is quite a statement! Believe me, he has nothing to be worried about! Please, bring him in!" He motioned eagerly. The others nodded in agreement.

"You're sure?" Tsunade asked. "I have your word on this?" She gave a sly smile.

"Of course!" Famsuyo said, though he still seemed a bit confused at her attitude.

"Alright then!" Tsunade beamed, as she walked over and opened the door. "Alright, you can come in now... put down the bowl... don't drip any on your robes!" The council watched in amusement as their Hokage went into the next room. A moment later she walked back in, behind the one she was pushing in front of herself. "Council, allow me to introduce the devoted shinobi that invented the cellular reinforcement treatment, Naruto Uzumaki." She gently put her hands on his shoulders in a high show of support as she watched the reaction of the council. Hiashi Hyuga, as well as one... two others, including the older woman who wanted to be with her grandchildren, looked only shocked and curious. The rest of council however, had the most unpleasant of looks of outrage and insult. Especially Famsuyo.

"Wh-What? My Lady Hokage... P-please tell me this is some kind of s-sick joke!" Famsuyo stammered in barely contained rage as he glared at Naruto. Tsunade's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Now what in the world would make you think anyone is joking? This is a very serious matter." Tsunade said slowly. "Naruto has put a lot of time into this project, and has sacrificed a lot of training time to do so as well. He willingly passed up on missions and the more physical work he prefers to do his part in the idea he created. As I said, without his idea, I wouldn't be standing here as I am." Tsunade addressed the council, not even aware that her fingers had already started to massage Naruto's shoulders with the lightest of subtlety. The council certainly didn't notice, agitated as they were. But Shizune noticed. She noticed sharply.

'What in Kame's name does Lady Tsunade think she's doing!? Such a deferent intimate gesture in public!? The instant someone notices, well, there's no telling what trouble will come of it!' Shizune struggled not to panic or to draw attention to her observation. ' ... ... But... ... why would she do something like that anyway? I mean... this past year... sure, they spent a lot of time together... they got along real well, once Naruto learned to sit still that is... in fact... Lady Tsunade was always smiling, even during their debates... she was always smiling at him... always gazing at him...' Shizune started to frown ever so slightly. 'And... she would barely ever even acknowledge my presence whenever I was attending to them during the sessions.' She felt a strange sensation in her gut. One she had been feeling for several months, whenever she thought too much about this subject. But she didn't have the time to ponder it in the current situation.

"ANBU! Take this wretch out of here immediately! I want It out of this building!" Famsuyo shouted, but even as the door opened to reveal two masked special-ops soldiers, they didn't have the chance to take even one step into the room.

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" Tsunade barked over the council, right at the Anbu, who, since it was the Hokage that was involved, held their place. "No one is going anywhere until this meeting is completely over. And I will say when it's over! So SIT DOWN!" She ordered. The two Anbu glanced at each-other and quickly shut the door as most of the council sat down again. Only Famsuyo and Hiashi remained standing.

"Head council, I don't think you should act so rashly about this." Hiashi said. "I think I can understand your nervousness about this situation-"

"NERVOUSNESS!? ... I am not nervous! What I am is insulted to have this thing in my presence! Have you forgotten what that thing tried to do!? It's nothing but a danger to this village! Frankly, I don't know why we've let It live this lo-ARRGK!" Famsuyo choked as Tsunade had suddenly lunged across the room to put a hand around his throat. Famsuyo blanched at the look of rage on his Hokage's face.

"Don't you dare even think about finishing that sentence!" Tsunade growled as she shoved the council man down onto his seat. After several moments to calm her breathing, she returned to Naruto's side, who was looking uncertain and nervous, before re-addressing the council. "Look, I know that Naruto's presence can be a bit intimidating, but if you calm down and think, you'll realize that his idea is far to important to mar with pointless paranoia. The good he'll do for the village-"

"GOOD!? Nothing that ever comes out of that half-demon beast could ever be good!" Famsuyo snapped. Tsunade was clenching her fist as her temples throbbed.

"Will you give it a rest already!? Naruto is not the Nine-Tailed-Fox! He has never done anything except fight to protect this village, risking his life in every event to do so in case you've forgotten. He even prote-..." Tsunade cut herself short. 'Damn. Almost let it slip. Jiraiya and I agreed it was best not to talk about the fight with Orochimaru. Certain... details, would only cause a panic.' She took a breath to continue. "I'm ashamed of all... well, almost all of you." She said, giving an apologetic glance at Hiashi. "Before you knew the cellular reinforcement treatment was Naruto's idea, you were all praising it, and it's inventor. And before I brought him in, you gave your word that you wouldn't cause him any trouble! Now this! Are you saying you're just a bunch of lying, untrustworthy bigots!?" She snapped.

"First of all, IT is a shinobi. Giving It's life by the order of the village it It's duty. Second, how can we be sure It hasn't put some kind of spell on you? What if this is all some kind of plot by the demon to damage or destabilize the village while It bides It's time until It can break free and destroy us?" Famsuyo glared viciously at Naruto, who stood limply, his face downcast.

"Wait a minute, that doesn't make any sense." Hiashi spoke up. "How can giving us a way to have all our generations of ninja stay young and strong be a plot against us?" He said, confused.

"Exactly! What's the fox going to do? Wait until we have a dozen generations of ninja all ready for battle, then pop out just so we can pound it into the dirt? Use your heads!" Tsunade snorted in frustration.

"Uhh... Lady Tsunade?" Shizune said slowly.

"What!?" Tsunade snapped, looking at her assistant.

"I think Naruto wants to say something." Shizune pointed. Tsunade looked over to see Naruto, ridged with a look of stone-faced anger.

"You're not really going to let it speak, are y-" Famsuyo snorted.

"SHUT IT!" Tsunade barked at him, then turned and stepped closer to her friend. "Naruto?" She asked gently.

"So you don't like me. I get it." Naruto was glaring straight at Famsuyo. "Well guess what. I don't care. You can yell and scream and curse me all you want, but it won't stop me from protecting this village. I only came up with this idea to help the Hokage, because I thought I owed her a debt." Naruto gave a single glance at Tsunade who was watching and listening intently. "When she told me that everyone would be able to use this treatment, I'll admit, I felt a bit proud. I thought that just maybe, this would be my first great contribution to the village. But I guess you don't want it, do you?" Naruto raised a clenched fist at Famsuyo, who took a step back. "If you want to shrivel up and die a bitter old man, fine! But at least have the decency to let the rest of the people of the village decide for themselves!" Naruto snarled. But then he seemed to deflate slightly, and turned and started walking towards the door to the adjoining room.

"Wait Naruto." Tsunade took hold of his arm to stop him, then turned to the council again. "Alright, that does it. He's right. I don't need your hypocritical opinions. The treatment will be available to anyone who wants it, and people will know that they have Naruto to thank for it. After all," Tsunade walked up to in front of Famsuyo, and opened his copy of the record book to one of the first pages, pointing to a page. "I have already written that Naruto is the creator." She smiled triumphantly. Famsuyo looked at the page with disgusted fury.

"Records can always be re-written." He sneered. Tsunade gave a exaggerated shrug, practically daring Famsuyo to ogle her cleavage.

"Knock yourself out." She snapped her fingers, and all the duplicate records on the table vanished in puffs of smoke. "You can scribble anything you want in this COPY of the records. And when you try to pass it off to the people as the real thing, I'll just pull out the originals. Just how long do you think you'll keep your positions when the people find out you lied to them about something this important? And you have to face it, this is important enough that you can't afford to be in disagreement with me. It would only cause doubt and argument among the people of the village. Do you want to be responsible for that?" Tsunade stared down the defeated council.

"No, of course not. The good of the village is always the most important matter." Famsuyo grumbled. "I guess... the brat was good for something after all." He mumbled, avoiding the gaze of the Hokage.

"I'm sorry, what was that? I didn't' quite here that last part." Tsunade said, once again having taken a place behind a very surprised looking Naruto, her hands back on his shoulders.

"I said, nice work... you little snot." Famsuyo took a final jab at Naruto. "Now if we'll conclude this meeting, we have further work-"

"Hold it. I think you have one more thing you're forgetting." Tsunade interrupted again. Famsuyo just gave a questioning look. "You will apologize to Naruto for what you said about him." Tsunade's eyes were so cold, those in the room that saw her face would be looking over their shoulders for several months afterwards.

"Of course, our behavior has been most appalling for those of our station." Hiashi instantly spoke up, drawing everyone's attention. "You came offering life, and we acted like a bunch of snakes with our venomous words. We apologize and thank you, Naruto Uzumaki." Hiashi stood and bowed. Two of the others immediately did the same, and the rest, under the gaze of their own as well as the Hokage, had little choice but to also stand.

"Our apologies... Shinobi Uzumaki." They all chorused as the bowed.

"That's better. Now the meeting can end." Tsunade nodded at the council, and couldn't help smiling at the look of disbelieving astonishment on Naruto's face. "Shizune, you can see to it that this copy of the records are filed away. After that..." She waved a hand dismissively. "I don't know, take some time off. Relax a while. Trust me, I won't be needing your assistance for the next several days at least. In fact, make it a week, just to be sure." Tsunade pulled Naruto with her as she headed out the door. Shizune stood confused.

'Time off? What is with her? It's like she doesn't want me around. And she's still sticking to Naruto like glue. A week off... What are you up to Lady Tsunade?' Shizune wondered as she gathered the record scrolls into their bag, and excused herself from the room.

By the time Tsunade and Naruto exited the council building, the sky was beginning to turn a beautiful pinkish orange as the sun was lowering towards the horizon.

"We did it! We did it! I can't believe we actually did it!" Naruto was flipping and jumping around in excitement. "You were incredible Lady Hokage! Man, you put those council creeps in their place! Total dedication and confidence! Now that is really being a Hokage!" He beamed at her.

"Y-yessss... Na-Naruto..." She gasped, her eyes locked on him. It was over. They had succeeded. Now her heart, and body, refused to be denied any longer. "Naruto... I have a very s-special celebration planned. I would be so p-pleased if you would... j-join me." She gently moaned. Naruto stopped his crazy acrobatics and looked at her. They had become closer in the past year. He had gotten to know her very well, and he was not as naive as he once was. He recognized her tone of voice, and her quivering body language. He was still overwhelmed each time she made her feelings evident, though, nothing had happened between them... yet.

"Of course. I would be honored... Lady Tsunade." He bowed, red-cheeked, and swallowed nervously. Tsunade took his hand firmly, and with her leading the way, they quickly made their way back to the home of the Hokage.

When they arrived, Tsunade had Naruto wait in a room that had a small table for two set with tea while she went and made sure they would not be disturbed or interrupted. That is to say, she kicked out the servants, shut the windows and locked the doors. As Naruto was waiting, he anxiously noticed that the only things in the room besides the tea set on the table, was a giant full-wall mirror, and a very large area of bed matting, neatly folded and made.

'Whoa, wait a minute, is this her... bedroom' Naruto wondered with apprehension. Just then the door opened, as Tsunade glided in. Naruto jumped to his feet. She had changed cloths. Instead of the formal Hokage robes, she was wearing a red and gold silk kimono gown that enhanced the glow of her flawless skin. The silk clung to her even though the garment was allowed to flow loosely on her. Her incredible chest was more than half exposed. As she stepped forward, her bare smooth legs peeked out from the folds of cloth. Her golden blond hair was let down, and her red lips gleamed in the softly lit room, each matching her gown perfectly. Naruto had never seen her so beautiful.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." She said softly. "But I wanted to make sure that everything is just right. Have you had a drink yet?" She asked as she slowly approached him. Naruto averted his eyes, instead turning to the look at the table.

"Uhhh, y-yeah. I'm a little surprised it's just tea though. I would have thought you'd have set out your best saki, I mean, if it's supposed to be a celebration for out victo-... ahh..." Naruto fell quiet as he felt Tsunade press up against his back, and her hands slowly wrapped around his chest.

"Getting drunk is out of the question. I want to be fully, completely, and acutely aware of all my senses... for this." She lightly stroked his neck with the tip of her nose. "Naruto... please don't be nervous."

"I can't help it." He said. "This... this is so... unusual for me. No one's ever cared about me like this." He swallow a lump in his throat, while trying to keep his sight steady on the teapot. He was afraid what would happen if he looked at her now.

"I love you Naruto. I fell in love with you the day we met. And the only thing I need to know now is, after the time we have spent so close together, have you fallen in love with me?" She asked, her arms squeezing around him, her hands seeking his bare chest under his robe.

"I've... been trying not to..." Naruto cringed at the admission, but Tsunade didn't react at all. Of course he'd been hesitant to let himself feel that much. She had seen his uncertainty over the past year. When ever she showed her feelings with any strength, he had always been so respectful, but cautious. She had realized his reason months ago, but she still asked the question now.

"Why?" She asked calmly, seeking to loose herself in the combined warmth of their two bodies.

"I've had to endure all kinds of injury and pain since I've become a ninja, and I've always overcome it. But there's one pain I haven't been able to ever shake off, even for a moment. Constantly being... shunned... by everyone. I've never thought there could be anything more painful, and I used to think that I wanted it to end. So I've pushed myself as hard as I could, trying to find something, some way to escape it. But now... with you... I have that chance." Naruto was nearly whispering, as if in a dream.

"Don't stop Naruto. Say it all. Please." Tsunade moaned, slowly writhing against his back, her leg rubbing against his as she let the heat build within herself from the excitement of finally being able to touch him this way. The heat that fueled the flooding wetness between her legs.

"If I walk away now, the pain will continue, unbroken. But if you take the pain away, how much worse will it be, if I loose you, and the pain comes back a second time? How much deeper will the empty darkness cut? How much more desperate will I be to try to end it again? Then again? And Again? ... I just don't have the courage to face that." Naruto sobbed.

"Courage? Naruto... It was your courage that saved me from the very pain you're describing. I had loved. I had lost. I had despaired. I was dead inside in every way. Then, simply by meeting you, everything changed for me. Your courage revived my spirit, my interest in life and those around me. Your spirit revived my heart, my compassion and willingness to care about others. And now, your heart has revived my body, my strength, and my chance to live my life again, only this time, without the pain." Tsunade began kissing his neck and shoulder. "There is no part of me that isn't yours. Even your blood has flowed in me as my own. As long as you don't fear pain, Naruto, there won't be any. I want to be with you forever, and I will make sure you always remember that. For all the days we will share together, I truly... deeply... love you." She declared as she took his chin in her hand, and turned his face to hers, kissing him at last with her love-red lips.

"What are you saying?" Naruto asked in shock as their mouths parted. She released her grip on his body as she turned him to face her in totality. Taking his hands in hers, she slowly kneeled down in front of him.

"Naruto Uzumaki, I beg you, please, allow me the joy, and honor... of becoming your wife." She said, her eyes steady and true. Naruto gasped. And stood, stunned, for what seemed like forever.

"I'm... I'm too young to get married... ... I still have a little growing to do... Are... Are you really sure?" Naruto said uncertainly.

"I'm completely sure." Tsunade purred, as she brought his hands up to her face, happily rubbing her cheek into his palm. "Love is completely outside the control and boundaries of society, Naruto. As they say, you can't choose who you fall in love with. It just happens. When you're with the person, you feel it in your heart and soul. I can't stop loving you. Even if you say no, even if you walk away, even if you send me away, I'll still love you." She never stopped looking into his eyes as she brought his hands down her neck, to press them against her chest, her heart. "So what if you're a little younger than what most men are when they get married! We were fortunate to find each-other now, at this point in your life. It just means that we have all that much more time to live our lives together. Think about it Naruto" Tsunade's emotions were beginning to increase beyond her control as her breathing deepened, her chest heaving beneath his hands, "What are the chances, that I, someone with nothing to live for, and even quite possibly nearing the end of my life, would meet someone like you? Like you, Naruto! Someone who would give me back my spirit! My heart! Someone who would actually think of a way to extend my life!" Tears began to fall down her cheeks. "And you, you who dreams of being Hokage, meeting me? The granddaughter, and last living direct descendent of the first Hokage! The only person that can tell you the original story of our village! The only person that can teach you the ways of the Hokage when they were first created! ... I want to teach you Naruto. I want to be with you... ... So... ... Tell me, Naruto... ... Tell me what you want!" Tsunade cried, trying to hold in her sobs, and actually managed to stop them extremely quickly. Naruto stood over her, looking at her face, looking into her eyes.

'The chance that we would meet? Is she talking about destiny? I hate that word. I prefer to make my own choices in life. But, then again, she does have a point. It can't just be luck that we would meet the way we did. And as far as choices... She is giving me a choice. So I'll make one!' Naruto's nerves instantly calmed as he smiled down at his special companion. "I want... I want to be with you... Tsunade..." Naruto whispered her name, kneeling down with her. The very sound made her shudder with need, and she used Naruto's hands to slip her robe open even further, releasing her fertile bosom to his touch.

"Naruto... please... my name... say my name again!" She begged with a moan, as she pushed her flesh into his hands.

"I love you, my Tsunade." Naruto said, then leaned forward to kiss her for many long moments. He parted from her only once more. "... I've... never been... with a woman before. And I've only ever worked to be a ninja, so I don't know anything about being a husband..." He said shyly.

"Ohhhh... Don't worry about that Naruto..." She breathed huskily as she slowly pushed him down onto her bedding. "That is one lesson, in which I will teach you everything I know." She purred as she descended upon him.

Moments later, cloths were discarded, thrown into the far corner of the room where they remained, untouched, for the next four days and five nights.

---

15 YEARS LATER

The woman cook of the noodle parlor looked up as an extremely pregnant woman entered through the doorway. The cook quickly moved to help.

"Please, allow me to... OH! My Lady Hokage!" She beamed, recognizing her friend.

"Hello Kasumi." Tsunade smiled, allowing the woman to help her to a booth right next to the bar, being unable to sit at the bar itself, for obvious reasons. "The usual, but only a single bowl this time." Tsunade requested.

"Only a single? That's unusual. You normally go through three at a time, for the little one." Kasumi remarked pointedly as she set the bowl down for her Hokage.

"Well, I figure since in about two weeks, this little guy," Tsunade cradled herself protectively, "will have all he could possibly eat," She grazed her hand against her bosom that bulged out almost further than her belly, "I can let up a bit for myself." She smiled, not really noticing Kasumi's blush at the innuendo of Tsunade's miraculous abundance of motherly fertility.

"I give up. I can't possibly keep track of your eating habits. So, you said 'little guy'? So it's a boy?" Kasumi asked curiously.

"Well, I've been praying adamantly for a son. Since I already have five daughters, I really want another little Naruto around the house." Tsunade smiled dreamily. Kasumi gave a low whistle.

"Five daughters? Wow. You are truly blessed with life, my Lady Hokage. In fact, I can't even remember the last time you were in here without having to eat for two. I mean, really, what is that, your seventh?" Kasumi gestured to Tsunade's stomach.

"No, my ninth!" Tsunade laughed as her face glowed with motherly pride.

"Good heavens!" Kasumi staggered slightly, shaking her head in disbelief. "You must love your husband a lot!" She laughed.

"Oh yes, I definitely do!" Tsunade agreed, and smirked as Kasumi went to take a drink. "Twice every night, once in the morning, I pin him after lunch whenever the opportunity presents itself..." Tsunade said quickly, causing Kasumi to choke and sputter her drink.

"MY LADY HOKAGE!" Kasumi shrieked in embarrassment.

"Ha ha ha ha Ha-Hoo, Ohh, OOHHHAAARH!" Tsunade began with a laugh, but ended with a severe gasp of pain as she suddenly tensed up, gripping at her belly.

"My lady! What is it?" Kasumi appeared at her Hokage's side in a blink.

"Oh, Oh, the... ahh... the baby! It's time!" Tsunade gasped, shoving the table away, the bowl of noodles crashing to the floor.

"But I thought you just said it would be another two weeks!" Kasumi said in panic as she helped up her Lady.

"Well the baby just said NOW! And I'm pretty sure HE has the final word on the matter!" Tsunade panted as she headed towards the door with Kasumi's help, but they had barely even cleared the doorway when a sudden blur of orange appeared in front of them.

"Tsunade!" Naruto cried as he rushed to his wife's aide.

"Typical Naruto. (pant, pant) Not even five minutes into labor, and you appear by my side." Tsunade smiled at her love, even as sweat was beginning to bead on her forehead.

"Of course. I'll always be near for you. Thankfully the hospital is just down the street. Give me your hand and--" Naruto reached for her hands, but she swatted him away.

"No." Tsunade shook her head firmly. Naruto gasped in shock.

"B-but, my love, I need to take your pain for you." He begged as they continued down the street, Kasumi staying with them to attend her Hokage.

"No Naruto, you've- Aaahhh!" Tsunade stumbled as another jolt of pain hit her, but she continued on determinedly. "You've taken my pain for our last six children. I'm overdue to endure one myself." She tried to keep breathing deep.

"Tsunade, this isn't like taking turns doing the laundry! You don't have to--" Naruto tried to reach for her hand again, and again was swatted away.

"I want to, Naruto. I'm a woman, and this is part of-- AAHH!... ... Being, a woman. And like you always say, pain lets you know your alive!" Tsunade continued to smile, even as the pains were already getting more intense, and occurring quicker. "Wow... this... this little one... really wants to come out and meet you... ARGH!"

"THAT DOES IT!" Naruto shouted, and abruptly scooped up his suffering wife in his arms with ease. "I'm at least going to get you to the hospital quicker! Thanks for your help Kasumi!" He nodded, then bolted off, leaving the woman cook standing in the street, looking as anxious as if she were the one having a baby.

Only nine hours later, word spread through the village, and people rejoiced at the news of their Hokage giving birth to a healthy and very strong son, adding another name to the growing Uzumaki clan.

In one part of the village, however, people had been waiting for the news of the birth. In a inconspicuous building, dozens and dozens of residents of the village gathered in the most secret gambling and betting hall in the village. So secret, it only met once, perhaps twice a year depending on circumstances. So secret, that those that already knew about it were terrified what would happen to them if the Hokage ever found out. Only those people of the village that were determined trustworthy enough not to reveal the hall were even told about it.

The mass of people stood silently, as up on a stage, several of the bookies pulled back a huge curtain, revealing several massive writing boards. One of the bookies stood out in front.

"Alright, NOW TAKING BETS!" He called, and the whole room erupted into a frenzy of shouting as the bookies got to work, writing out the bets on markers as they kept track of everyone's wagers.

"Four months!" "Eight weeks!" "88 Days!" People worked to get their bets marked quickly before anyone else. To one side, one woman shook her head at their actions.

"You people are completely clueless!" She said in amusement. The man behind her gave her a glare.

"Hey, everyone has the same chance here!" He said. "Who are you supposed to be anyway?"

"Just one of the top three winners in the last six betting runs. And for the record, I've got a better chance, because I have a better understanding of the situation." The woman smiled as she stepped up for her turn at the bookie table. "Three weeks." She said, making the man laugh as the bookie wrote out the woman's marker.

"That's way too soon! And you call us clueless?" He guffawed. The woman tucked her marker away securely in her pocket, then turned to him.

"I've known them as long as they've been together. They come into my shop all the time. I've seen they way they look at each other. She's healthy, strong, and most of all, SHE WANTS THEM. Tack on the fact she's a medical genius that can recover in crackerjack time, and I guarantee, in three weeks, at the most, the Hokage will be pregnant again." The woman whispered to him. He raised an eyebrow.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Kasumi." She replied. After a moment, the man stepped up to the bookie, and placed a mark for three weeks... and one day.

And the betting continued.

---

100 YEARS LATER

The sky was gray with rain. All the people of the Village Hidden in the Leaves were solemn. Some wept, and others prayed. Because one of their most beloved leaders lay dying.

In the home of the Hokage, the incredible number of members of the clan gathered to be with their loved one that they knew would most likely not see tomorrow. In the master bedroom, the oldest members of the clan sat in a ring around the bed on which lay an once-blond haired woman. Though now, her hair was streaked with silver. By her side, her fire-gold haired husband had remained motionless for days, never daring to leave her, refusing to risk not being with her when the time came.

Lady Tsunade Uzumaki, chief of the medical council for the Village Hidden in the Leaves, slowly opened her eyes, and sighed at the surprise that she had woken, and was still alive. Her husband, Naruto, instantly noticed her change of breathing.

"My Lady Hokage... I'm still here for you." He said quietly even as the others in the room quickly focused their attention on their mother. "We're all here for you." Naruto corrected himself.

"Naruto... I passed the title to you... over 50 years ago... you silly." Tsunade smiled as her husband took her hand.

"Sorry. Old habits and all that." He smiled as he gently caressed her smooth cheek. Even at nearly 200 years old, she still only looked a surprisingly healthy 50 to those who did not know the reason for her long life, or condition.

"Who're you... calling old?" She gazed at him with adoring eyes that glistened with understanding. "It won't be long now." She said.

"I know." Naruto choked, tears forming in his eyes. "Tsunade, there's still a chance-"

"No, Naruto. Not any more." She sighed, refusing to look away from her beloved's face, wanting it to be the last thing she saw... "I know our treatment might have extend my life again... but I'm so tired. We both knew it would only go so far."

"But you still have so much to live for! You know, if you'd live just nine more weeks, you'd be able to see your great, great, great, GREAT grandchild!" Naruto cried softly, knowing he was grasping at straws.

"Nice try... you knucklehead. But, even though you found... found a way to extend the life of the body... perhaps... the life of the spirit... also has it's limits." She paused. "NoWaKi? Did you get the book?" She asked.

"Yes mother." Her son, named in honor of her brother, carefully unwrapped an old thick book, and placed it between his parents before moving back to his position aside. Tsunade put her husband's hand on it.

"One last note... to make... about our treatment. If you please." She said. Naruto took a pen out of his pocket and opened the book to almost the very last page. "The final conclusion of all observations. ... Nature truly has many secrets in the life it weaves for each of us. ... This one that we have discovered... may take us farther into our own destinies... than we can guess. Although this secret... can seemingly allow us to live... as long as... we need,..." Tsunade's voice was getting weaker. "even... without... any... negative... consequences,... it will... always be... the person's... own choice... as... to... how long... their... life... needs... to... be..." She trailed off as Naruto finished writing, looking at her in alarm.

"Tsunade? My Tsunade?" He asked in sobs as her eyes slowly closed.

"No regrets... my love... my Hokage... ... Never... forget,... but... always... ... live..." She fell silent. Her breathing slowed, and when Naruto placed his hand on her chest, he could feel her heart slowing

Slowing...

Still.

And so, Lady Tsunade Uzumaki, fifth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves, was laid to rest beside her ancestors by her husband, Naruto Uzumaki, the sixth Hokage of the Village Hidden in the Leaves. On her remembrance stone in the memorial courts, at the bottom, beneath the telling of her accomplishments, was a special inscription.

Remember this woman, who was granted a second life. And remember also, her advice to all future generations:

Don't waste your first one.

FIN